Cooking with Nasturtium Leaves and Flowers

Nasturtiums are not strictly a wild food but easy to grow and so I think they deserve a mention. They are distinctive with their unusual rounded leaves and colourful flowers. They are related to watercress and have a similar peppery flavour. Apparently Nasturtium translates into Latin as ‘nose twist’.

Nasturtiums attract bees and other insects so are great things to have in the garden but they are also very happy growing in pots so doesn’t matter if you don’t have much space. Slugs also love them so will prefer to eat nasturtiums than veg plants so it is always good to have them on a veg plot.

I always grow mine from seed but if you buy them be aware they may have been treated with slug pellets which are really nasty chemicals so I suggest if you want some nasturtiums to eat then it is best to grow your own.

If you have never nibbled a nasturtium leaf.. do.. they are very tasty, peppery and actually quite juicy. Lovely in salads and also keep their flavour well when cooked and go very well in omelettes and quiche.

The flowers are an extraordinary taste sensation. They come in a range of colours usually yellow, orange or red but you can get some pink varieties. A mix of the pepperiness of the leaves but also amazing sweetness from the nectar. They are a colourful addition to salads.

Nasturtium Leaf Dip

A really simple way of using nasturtium leaves is to chop them up finely and add to greek yoghurt or cream cheese. This is lovely with crisps, carrot sticks, celery or pretty much anything. The dip goes particularly well with wild food bhajis see previous post for bhaji recipe.